FACT CHECK: No, Video Does Not Show Residents Of Avdiivka Greeting Russian Troops

Elias Atienza | Senior Reporter

A video shared on X claims to show Ukrainian residents of Avdiivka greeting Russian troops.

Verdict: False

The video is from April 2022 and was taken in Russia, not Ukraine.

Fact Check:

A Russian military blogger reportedly killed himself after he said that the Russian military took severe losses during its offensive that took the Ukrainian city of Avdiivka, according to The New York Times.

Social media users have been sharing a video claiming to show Ukrainian residents greeting Russian troops as they enter Avdiivka. One user wrote, “Footage showing how local people in Avdeevka meet Russian soldiers.”

This claim is false. Through a reverse image search, Check Your Fact found that the video is from April 2022. The video was published on a Russian website, which claims it was taken inside of Russia, not in Ukraine. The video was also shared on YouTube in April 2022.

EjShadid, an account that geolocates videos and images in the Russian-Ukrainian war, stated that the video was taken in Dmitrovsk, Russia.

“Location: Dmitrovsk, Oryol Oblast, Russia 52.505092, 35.139130,” the account tweeted. GeoConfirmed, an organization of volunteers that geolocates videos and images in various conflicts, confirmed the geolocation.

Misinformation around the Russian-Ukrainian war is not new. Check Your Fact recently debunked a video claiming to show a drone attack on a Russian factory. (RELATED: Did Pope Francis Say That Jesus Was Born During A Census Taken By King David?)

Elias Atienza

Senior Reporter
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